The Dog days of August are moving right along and our residents are finishing trips or about to embark on new adventures.  Some are moving in while some are moving out; some are finishing study abroad and some are cherishing memories of summertime youth mission trips.

Today Around Davidson visits with the Kevin Buechler family preparing to leave us for a new home in Austin, Texas.  There is news of Zoë Helfrich who just returned from travels in England and DUMC youth back recently back from a handbell choir trip.  We also celebrate a birthday with Ann Melton.

Ann Melton celebrated her birthday with help from her daughter, Cambria Nielsen

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANN MELTON!

How nice for Ann and Julius Melton to have family close by and especially nice for daughter Cambria Melton Nielsen to host a party in honor of mom’s 75^th birthday.  Cambria invited a group of longtime friends to join her in celebrating her mother’s birthday on August 6.  Enjoying lunch at Restaurant X in town, the group had a delightful lunch and then joined in song to wish Ann a Happy, Happy Birthday.  Many happy returns to you, Ann, and again, Happy Birthday!

"Granci" Nancy Gardner enjoys one-on-one time with granddaughter, Zoe Helfrich

WELCOME HOME ZOË!

What fun to see Zoë Helfrich at Summit this week enjoying the company of her “Granci” Nancy Gardner.  Zoë and her mom, Beth Gardner Helfrich, returned recently from six weeks in Oxford, England, where Dad Tim was studying.  Granci Nancy was enjoying some one-on-one time with her favorite granddaughter after her long absence this summer.  Also in town to get a Zoë “hug” was Uncle Curtis Gardner who was spending a little time in North Carolina before returning to Lesotho, South Africa, to continue his work with Grassroots Soccer and Kick for Life.  (More on Tim’s studies in Oxford when he returns to the USA later this week.)

DUMC YOUTH HANDBELL CHOIR MAKING A DIFFERENCE

DUMC youth instructing handchime use

From a single idea came a most rewarding experience!  Just ask Kevin Turner, Director of Music and Worship at the Davidson United Methodist Church (DUMC).  Some months ago, Kevin tossed the idea of a “mission handbell trip” out to the Youth Handbell Choir of DUMC.  The youth took the idea, raised the necessary funds and during the last week of July traveled to Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to teach disadvantaged kids how to ring hand chimes.

As Rosemary Banks, Director of Communications for DUMC wrote:  “On an ecumenical level, DUMC is a United Methodist church going to Pennsylvania where we will work with a United Methodist-affiliated institution as well as two Episcopal churches and an institution supported by both the Episcopal and Lutheran churches.  The Choir will do four days of ringing, crafts, activities and building relationships with God’s children. These choir members have worked hard. They have split themselves into groups, each responsible for one of the activities mentioned such as ringing, crafts or games.”

Needless to say, this was not the usual performance focused trip.  With monies raised, the youth purchased a brand new set of chimes which they presented to St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church – and it just so happened that the bishop of the Episcopal Diocese was in the Harrisburg church building at the time.  Due to all the equipment and supplies, the group of 19 youth and seven adults traveled on a chartered bus.

Kevin Turner, far right, shares in presenting the handchimes to the church

On their way to Harrisburg, they stopped to ring during worship at the Blacksburg United Methodist Church in Blacksburg, Va., and also toured the Malmark Bell Foundry in Plumstadville, Pa., to see how handbells are made.  At the same time they purchased the handchimes they were gifting to the church in Harrisburg.  To complete their mission week,  the group was treated to a day at Hershey Park. They also were thrilled to ring the National Anthem at the Harrisburg Senators baseball game.

Quite a week for this handbell choir!  Asking Kevin Turner about his thoughts on the trip, he replied that the highlight was watching the DUMC youth pass on their hand chime knowledge to other youth.  He found that the young people adjusted quickly to changing personnel and situations and made him very proud to be their director.  For these handbell choir members, it gave them a chance to make a positive difference during a week they will long remember.

The Buechler family

THE BUECHLERS SAY GOOD-BYE

It has been a good five years!  Kevin and Anne Buechler and their three children, Cat (13), Nell (12) and Jake (9) are leaving us this weekend and heading south to Austin, Texas.  The Buechlers moved to Davidson from Connecticut when Kevin took a job at Davidson College as the Director of the Bonner Scholars Program.  With his earlier background as a basketball coach at Avon Old Farms School in Connecticut, he was a natural to take over as the “voice” of Wildcat Basketball.  Was this a chore?  Kevin states unequivocally that he “loved every minute” especially announcing games during the Steph Curry years.  But Davidson College was not his only love.  Kevin jumped into community service programs and served on the Ada Jenkins and Davidson Youth Baseball boards.  His wife, Anne, taught at Woodlawn School and Davidson Day as well as volunteering with the Davidson-Cornelius Day Care Center.  The family also was active in the congregation of St. Mark Catholic Church.

Short timer Kevin Buechler enjoys a last coffee at Summit before heading to Texas this Sunday

Not long ago, Kevin left Davidson College to take the job as Athletic Director and Dean of Student Life at Davidson Day School.  He loved the challenge of helping to create an athletic “culture” as Davidson Day added a high school and just recently graduated its second senior class.  Anne was also a familiar face at the school as she taught Middle School English and was director of admissions for two years.  The Buechler children each enjoyed student life there as well.

But now opportunity has presented a new challenge to Kevin as he takes a position as a corporate sales and management trainer with Lifesize Communications in Austin.  Lifesize is a high-definition video conferencing company that is part of the Danish company Logitech.  The new job will involve domestic and international travel and present Kevin with new and exciting assignments.  For his family, this means being close to Kevin’s brother and family who live in Austin.

The entire Buechler family wishes to thank Davidson for introducing them to the “South” in such a wonderful way.  They have loved it here and are sorry to be leaving.  They do hope, however, to pass through once in a while and check on the College, Summit Coffee, Raeford’s Barber Shop, Davidson Day and many other organizations.

Asked about his fondest memory of our town, Kevin replied that he had two.  First was the return to Baker parking lot of the bus carrying the Davidson College basketball team following their defeat at the hands of Kansas in the Final Four in Detroit three years ago.  Kevin will never forget the outpouring of joy as community and college greeted the team with such enthusiasm.  Second was Kevin’s planning of the Annual Opening Day of the Davidson Youth Baseball Program at McEver Field at the end of March each year.  Again the community rallied to support the youth of our town with a tradition that could only happen in “small town” America.  These experiences have left a remarkable positive impression on Kevin and his family.

We wish the Buechler family the very best.  We will miss you and hope you will stay in touch to let us know if the Texans are “treatin’ you right!”

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Have news for Around Davidson? Write to Brenda Barger at hbarger@bellsouth.net.